Dream School

Subject:
ESL

Grade:
High School (1011)

Teacher:
Katherine Welch

Duration:
9 50-minute
classes

Unit Summary
This project-based unit students will be solving school problems to create a new
dream school. The dream school they create will be judged by other teachers at
the school during a fair.
Classroom Make-Up
This class is a mixed-level class of ELL students. Some students are very fluent in
English, while others have a very low level of English comprehension and
speaking. This class also has one student with Downsyndrome. She understands
simple words in English, but cannot form sentences. She is very adept at drawing.
Sannam High School is an all-girls high school for grades 10-12.

STAGE ONE DESIRED RESULTS

Established Goals
Common Core English
Language Arts Standards
W.9-10.1A Introduce
precise claim(s),
distinguish the claim(s)
from alternate or
opposing claims, and
create an organization
that clear relationships
among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons,
and evidence
W.9-10.1B Develop
claim(s) and
counterclaims fairly,
supplying evidence for
each while pointing out
the strengths and
limitations of both in a
manner that
anticipates the
audiences knowledge
level and concerns
W.9-10.1E Provide a
concluding statement
or section that follows
form and supports the

Transfer
Students will be able to use their learning to
Persuade judges to approve their dream school.
Present in front of a group.
Creatively solve real-world problems.

Meaning
Understandings
Students will
understand
The different
problems that can
exist at a school
and ways those
problems can be
solved

Essential Questions
What are the
problems at
Sannam High
School and how
can we fix them?
How can I best
advertise my
school to the
judges?

Acquisition
Students will know.
The three types of
persuasion: ethos,
pathos, and logos
Differences
between American
and Korean schools

Students will be skilled

at
Using persuasive
argumentation
Presenting in front
of a group
Organizing
information into a
poster
Conducting
research

argument presented
W.9-10.4 Produce
clear and coherent
writing in which the
development,
organization, and style
are appropriate to task,
purpose and audience
W.9-10.5 Develop and
strengthen writing as
needed by planning,
revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a
new approach, focusing
on addressing what is
most significant for a
specific purpose and
audience
W.9-10.7 Conduct
short as well as more
sustained research
projects to answer a
question or solve a
problem
W.9-10.10 Write
routinely over extended
time frames and
shorter time frames for
a range of tasks,
purposes, and
audiences
SL.9-10.4 Present
information, findings,
and supporting
evidence clearly,
concisely, and logically
such that listeners can
follow the line of
reasoning, and that the
organization,
development,
substance, and style
are appropriate to
purpose, audience, and
task
SL.9-10.6 Adapt
speech to a variety of

Working together
as a team to reach
a common goal

contexts and tasks

demonstrating a
command of formal
English when indicated
or appropriate
L.9-10.6 Acquire and
use accurately general
academic and domainspecific words and
phrases sufficient for
reading, reading,
speaking, and listening
at the college and
career readiness level;
demonstrate
independence in
gathering vocabulary
knowledge when
considering a word or
phrase important to
comprehension or
expression

STAGE TWO EVIDENCE

Evaluative Criteria
Poster Presentation
Rubric

Assessment Evidence
Transfer/Performance Tasks
Presentation of Poster to a Panel of Judges
Creation of an Organized Poster Advertising
Dream School
Formative Assessments
Venn Diagram comparing American and Korea
schools (day 1)
Journal Entries
Planning papers for project
Survey results
Summative Assessments
Poster
Presentation
Other Evidence
Discussions with students during the planning
process

STAGE THREE LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction

 Day One American and Korean Schools

o Write-Timed Pair-Share Journal Entry
o Group Brainstorm for RAN Chart using Continuous RoundRobin
o Gallery Walk: American Schools
o RAN Chart Completion and Check
o Exit Ticket: Venn Diagram (Write, then RallyRobin)
Day Two
o Write-Mix-Pair-Share (Characteristics of Korean Education)
o Vocabulary: School Types and Features
Describing Sannam High School (using vocabulary)
o Problems with Sannam High School
Create and administer survey to peers
Homework: Graph the results
Day Three
o Quiz-Quiz-Trade Vocabulary review
o In groups: Share survey results with Timed RoundRobin
o Class Discussion: Solutions to School Problems
Teams Brainstorm with All Write RoundRobin
o Introduce Project Assignment
Teams Create Details for their Dream School
Day Four
o TeamBuilder Fan-N-Pick (School Related Fun Questions)
o Teams continue details, when finished begin poster
Day Five
o Teams continue making their poster
Day Six
o Introduce Snack Challenge (Students will work in their teams to use
the persuasion methods taught to win a snack for their team)
o Persuasion Lecture (after each type, ask students to paraphrase to
their teammates)
o Pathos, Logos, or Ethos? (students use RallyCoach to match
persuasion types to advertisements and scenarios)
o Persuasion Speech Writing
Using All Write RoundRobin, students work together to write a
short speech to argue why their team should receive the
snack.
Then, students practice for 5 minutes and give their speech to
the teacher.
Day Seven
o Give assignment: persuade the teachers at Sannam High School to
build your new school.
o In their teams, students work to write a script where each student
has something to say, includes the information on their posters, and
uses ethos, pathos, and logos.
Day Eight
o Students finish writing their script, and exchange with other teams
for peer editing.

They give their writing to the teacher for final editing before leaving
class
Day Nine
o Students write the final version of their script
o Teams practice their presentation in front of other teams with Timed
Team-Pair Share
Day Ten
o Teams present in front of the class
Day Eleven
o Teams give their presentation in a classroom fair to teachers who
visit the class.
o

Cooperative Learning Strategies:

Write-Timed Pair-Share: Students first write their own response to a
question. Then, on the teachers cue, they find a partner (either in their
team or a nearby student through Stand Up-Hand Up-Pair Up), and read
their response in certain amount of time. Their partner then responds and
has time to give their response. The original student responds to their
partner, and the pair returns to their seats.
Continuous RoundRobin: The teacher will give a question to which there are
multiple, short responses (i.e. list adjectives that begin with a). Then, in
their teams, students will go around the circle giving one response each
until the teacher asks them to stop.
RallyRobin: Students are matched with a partner at their team and each
takes turn stating a response to the teachers question.
Write-Mix-Pair-Share: Students first write their response to a question. Then,
the teacher asks students to stand up, put their hand in the air, and move
about the room. While students are moving, the teacher plays music. When
the music stops, the students pair up with the person closest to them and
each share their response. The teacher can then start the process again for
students find more partners.
Stand Up-Hand Up-Pair Up:
Quiz-Quiz-Trade: Each student gets a flashcard that has a question on one
side and an answer on the other side. The teacher instructs students to
stand up, put their hand in the air, and find a partner near them who isnt
on their team. The student then shows and reads their question to their
partner who tries to answer. If their partner is correct, the student praises
their partner and their partner asks their question. If their partner is
incorrect, the student gives two tips before teaching their partner the
response and asking the question again. Then, their partner asks their
question. After both have asked their question, they trade cards and find
new partners.
Timed RoundRobin: The process is the same as Continuous RoundRobin,
except that each student gives one response for a certain amount of time.
All Write RoundRobin: The process is the same as Continuous RoundRobin
except that each student writes every response on their own paper.
Fan-N-Pick: Student A begins with a set of cards that they fan for Student B.

Student B picks a card and reads it to Student C. Student C gives their

answer. Student D responds to Student Cs response. The answered card is
placed face-down in the center of the table and the unanswered cards pass
to Student B who starts the process over again.
RallyCoach: Students receive a worksheet. Student A responds to a
question or solves a problem orally while Student B listens. Student B then
gives praise if the response is correct, or coaches. Then, Student A writes
the correct response on the worksheet. Next, students switch roles.
Timed-Team Pair-Share: This works like Write-Timed Pair-Share, expect there
is no writing. In addition, instead of individual students creating pairs, two
teams will pair up.

Differentiation of Unit Activities

For ELL Students
Due to the varying levels in the class, students will be placed into mixed-level
groups so that the higher-level students can help the lower level students.
Scaffolding worksheets will also be provided to help students write their script.
For Gifted Students
Students who have quite advanced English fluency will be assigned as leaders of
their group. It is their job to ensure that everyone participates and understands
what they need to do.
For Students with Special Needs
The student with Downsyndrome will be paired with a student who can translate
her responses. Their team will also be talked to in order to ensure that they are
including her in activities. Due to her level of English understanding and
capabilities, she will not be expected to perform in the same way as other
students.